Following his sentencing earlier this month, about 150 complaints were lodged claiming his sentence was too short.

In a statement, the office said Attorney General Jeremy Wright understood the decision would cause disappointment, but would not refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal as “he did not think they would find it to be unduly lenient and increase it”.

“The sentencing judge was bound by the maximum sentence in force at the time of the offending,” it said.

“The judge made some of the sentences consecutive to reach the total sentence, but he could not simply add up sentences on individual counts; the overall sentence had to be just and proportionate to the overall offending.

"The judge was also required to take into account the age of the offender.”